And she vowed: “There have already been steps taken to make sure that British aid ends up where it should, helping people, the world’s poorest around the world to deal with a range of issues that not only affect them but affect us here in the UK.

“And we will continue to work with the sector to make sure that there are the highest standards possible.”

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The fresh allegations are said to have incensed new Development Secretary Priti Patel

Two-thirds of this has gone to UK organisations, and 43 per cent to the UK’s top 10 consultancy firms, such as Crown Agents, the international development company.

Dfid documents also revealed the World Bank paid consultants in Libya an average day rate of £1,160.

One consultancy ASI charged £213,000 to provide a consultant for nine months.

The fresh allegations are said to have incensed new Development Secretary Priti Patel, who took over in July after previously questioning whether the Department should exist.

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Speaking in October Ms Patel said taxpayers money was being wasted on “superficial” foreign aid projects by some of the world’s biggest international bodies.

She vowed to “call out” foreign aid organisations using British money in “completely the wrong way”.

A Government source yesterday said Priti Patel believed Britain “owe it to the world’s poorest” to be more transparent about where UK aid is going and that every Pound of development support is spent “transforming lives in the poorest places – and not lining the pockets of people in the development industry”.